Iran reformists performing well in early election results

TEHRAN, Iran – Early results from Iranian parliamentary elections indicate that reformist candidates are heading for their best showing in more than a decade in a potential boost to moderate President Hassan Rouhani.

Officials have yet to release formal results, but reports on Saturday by the semi-official Fars and Mehr news agencies and a count conducted by The Associated Press show that candidates from Iran's powerful hard-line camp have lost ground. Reformists seeking greater democratic changes and better ties with the West appear to be heading toward their strongest presence in the 290-seat parliament since 2004.

Nearly 55 million of Iran's 80 million people were eligible to vote. Participation figures were not immediately available, though Interior Minister Abdolreza Rahmani Fazli predicted late Thursday there would be a turnout of 70 percent.